Anton Szandor LaVey - The Satanic Mass

Well it just seems fitting to end the month with this. Enjoy.

The Left Hand Path

Samael - Worship Him

As we slowly crawl to the end of the darkness we once again find ourselves in Switzerland Today's evil entry is from 1991. I rather enjoy this one. But, as I mentioned at the beginning of this month black metal is something I'd prefer to not listen to all day every day, so I'm kinda glad it's almost time to put this stuff back in the coffin for a bit.

Morbid Metal

Rotting Christ - Thy Mighty Contract

Today we find black metal in the country of Greece. This cleverly named band started in 1987 and are still around today. I cannot speak to previous or later releases, but this 1993 release is dark, heavy and to me doesn't seem as aggressive as some of the other bands posted this month.

Exiled Archangels

Von - Satanic Blood Angel

Yep, the U.S. participated in the black metal scene. In fact, I believe Von was quite influential. Their original run started in 1985. This is a two disc re-issue from 2009.

Evisc

Behemoth - ...From The Pagan Vastlands

Poland developed an unhealthy appetite for extreme metal, largely due to Behemoth. I've seen their genre called "Blackened Death Metal". And that's where genres get weird. Call it what you want. This is their third demo, released in 1993. Very dark.

Thy Winter Kingdom

Sarcófago - I.N.R.I.

Another "first wave" band today. Brazil's Sarcófago began their war in 1985, originally breaking up in 2000. Considered quite influential, this is their full length debut.

The Last Slaughter

Sigh - Scorn Defeat

Today it's black metal from the land of the rising sun. Sigh started in 1989 and this is their debut from the following year. They have an interesting take on the genre, I think. Cool stuff.

Ready For The Final War

Anton Szandor LaVey - Satan Takes A Holiday

With all this darkness going on this month let's take a short holiday today. Everyone's favorite devil, Mr. Anton LaVey, released this fun collection in 1995 because "even the Devil needs a little revitalizing recreation now and again". In my opinion this is an incredibly entertaining listen. So, "dim the lights, settle back and let His Infernal Majesty take you on a holiday tour of His world".

Honolulu Baby

Tormentor - Anno Domini

Leaving Scandinavia behind we find that the darkness spread all over the world. Our first stop is in Hungary. Tormentor formed behind the Iron Curtain. Dark and aggressive, a great example of the genre. Their original run ended when vocalist Attila was offered the Mayhem gig. His Mayhem vocals can be found on their first studio release, posted Sunday.

Damned Grave

Mayhem - De Mysteriis Dom Sathanas + Live In Leipzig

Oh, the twisted tale of Norway's Mayhem. Truly makes for good reading. Since their original inception in 1984 the band has had countless members, death, destruction, jail time, etc. And all the while the name seems to have stayed true to the original intent. They not only pioneered the sound but influenced many of the bands to come. 'De Mysteriis' is the band's first full length studio release, from 1994, and is widely considered one of the most influential black metal albums of all time. I know this because Wikipedia told me so. 'Live In Leipzig' is one of the few official releases with Dead on vocals. And regarding the performance, to steal another wiki line "The show featured intentional wrist-slitting by Dead and several graphic props, such as severed pig heads impaled on wooden spikes and pieces of rotting meat being tossed into the audience." Yum.

Sathanas

Leipzig

Emperor - Self-Titled/Wrath Of The Tyrant

Emperor formed in Norway in 1991. Aside from being an influential band in the Norwegian scene they were also members of the 'Black Circle', partaking in church burnings and in one case, murder. This 1998 reissue combines the bands first two releases. The music, like the scene, is dark and aggressive.

The Black Wizards

Marduk - Fuck Me Jesus

Let's spend this weekend in the heart of the second wave of Black Metal: Scandanavia. When Marduk formed in Sweden in the early 90's they set out to become the "most blasphemous band in the world". With this 1991 debut EP I'd say they nailed it. Fun stuff.

Within The Abyss

Aleister Crowley - The Great Beast Speaks

A bit of a different thing today. As today is the 141st birthday of "the wickedest man in the world" I felt it fitting to include this recording. Truthfully I do not know a lot about Aleister Crowley, but the fact that Christians are generally scared of him is enough for me to approve of. This is a collection of recordings from the early 1900's. The great but defunct Digital Meltdown blog (which is where I found this) was nice enough to include a link to a page that explains this release in detail. Something I certainly couldn't do. The page is HERE.

Do What Thou Wilt

Dark Funeral - Self-Titled

Dark Funeral were among what I guess was called the "second wave" of black metal. Hailing from Sweden this debut EP from 1984 brings the doom quite nicely.

My Dark Desires

Celtic Frost - Into The Pandemonium

Celtic Frost was indeed a legendary force and influence in the extreme metal world. However, by 1987 their music style began changing a bit. With symphonic elements and softer vocals it was quite a change from earlier releases. But, since I already posted two of the three earlier releases I have, and Celtic Frost belongs in this month, we get this release today.

Caress Into Oblivion

Hellhammer - Satanic Rites

Let's start the weekend back in the early 80's. Another very influential band was created in the darkest corner of Switzerland. Created by Tom G. Warrior and later joined by Martin Eric Ain, Hellhammer helped lay down the groundwork for extreme metal, before disbanding and regrouping as Celtic Frost in 1984.

Revelations Of Doom

Darkthrone - Land Of Frost Demo

We get our first taste of the 90's Norwegian scene today. Darkthrone were one of the first from Norway and helped shape where the whole thing would soon go - Extreme! This demo release is dark, atmospheric and evil.

Forests Of Darkness

Bathory - Self-Titled

Another early pioneer of the sound was Bathory from Sweden. They clearly show a Venom influence on this heavy 1984 debut. However you don't find a sense of humor. There are no songs about banging your teacher or getting dusted. They stick to the dark script. The vocals also begin to get a bit more indecipherable.

In Conspiracy With Satan

Venom - Possessed

As hinted at yesterday, this blog is going "dark" in October. Completely dark. Black, in fact. Full disclosure, the Black Metal genre is something that (outside of very few early bands) I never really got into. However, after reading a couple great books on the subject I found the whole subculture to be quite interesting. So I sought out the music and found it to be equally interesting. Certainly not something I could listen to all day every day, but the genre as a whole has earned a spot in my collection.

So, please note, I don't profess to know alot about the whole "black metal thang", so please no fact-checking. Also, if you're just plain not in to this sort of thing, well then take the month off. I won't judge.

Anyway, sorry to make you read. I promised myself I was going to try to avoid that! Enough reading, Let's get some Hell going down here. Venom coined the term Black Metal, so we start there. This is the bands 4th slab of evil, from 1985.

Look At My Eyes!